I was recently, like yesterday!, introduced to a man named Tony Ward. Tony's official title is Community Development Director -Central Florida, Arthritis Foundation - Florida Chapter but I hope to one day soon call him my friend!
You see when Jackson was diagnosed with JA we were very overwhelmed. To be honest, I still feel that way some days. I can't speak for Patrick on that though. Anywho, I felt very alone. After our first appointment with Dr. Modica, I was lost in a world of medicine. Injections, liquids, pills, oh my! I wasn't sure what to do, or where to turn for help or guidance. My friend Jayme suggested that I find a local outlet for families that have children with arthritis. I already had the arthritis foundation website bookmarked on my laptop but I hadn't really looked at anything local. I even started a blog on blogger.com so that family and friends could follow our journey.
I started searching out groups here on FB and found a few, joined them, and left wall comments with my blog link, hoping that people would read it, and follow it, and maybe I could get some connections that way. And low and behold, I had an add request from a mom whose child has JA, only down fall, they live outta state. But I thought cool, some one that I can talk to about this that GETS it. Then just a few days ago, I got another add request from a mom and her family lives in Lakeland! Annnnnnnd they go to Shands too!! Well from there I was able to find the Arthur Itis FB page and that led me to Tony.
Tony and I were able to talk yesterday. Great things came from that talk. I am hoping to become involved in the mom squad, as Tony calls them. We're participating in the May 1st walk in Avalon Park and I am hoping to meet some of the moms I just added on FB
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